John Hudson
AIRCRAFT FAMILIARITY
Incorrect and or inadvertent operation of an aircraft's controls may result in a
serious accident or incident if the operation is carried out during a critical
stage of flight.
Critical Stage of Flight
A "critical stage of flight" may be any of the following,
- during takeoff run.
- during initial or early stages of a launch, whether by winch or aerotow.
- during any low level flight, intended or unintended.
- during any low level flight at low airspeed. (safe speed near the
ground)
- during an approach and landing.
- during the landing run.
- during any flight or flight sequence where the pilot's workload is
increased due to,
- the flight sequence being flown, ie immediately after a cable
break.
- During landing with other gliders on-the-flight strip or in a
congested circuit.
Ergonomics
Significant focus has been placed on cockpit layout and control systems in
gliders to improve pilot comfort and reduce the potential (and the risk) of pilots
operating the wrong control.
Aspects pilots will be familiar with include,
- As far as is reasonably practicable, keeping cockpit layout
similar.
- Engineering controls so that they operate in the same sense.
- Colour coding of controls.
- Shaping of control levers.
Controls include – Release knob, Airbrake Lever, Wheel Brake lever, Flap
lever, Water Ballast dump lever, Canopy locks and Canopy Jettison levers,
Trim levers.
Despite these efforts, there remains scope for considerable improvement.
While ergonomics may go some way to minimizing the risks associated with
operation of the wrong control, nothing will assist more than the pilot making a
conscious effort to ensure the right control is being operated at the right time.
Familiarity
Perhaps the most sensitive time is during conversion training on a new type.
The increased risk prevails until the pilot builds experience in the new type.
It is important that a pilot spend some time in the cockpit, becoming familiar
with the gliders controls and their layout and operation, speeds and
limitations. There may be no time for this familiarization during the heightened
workload associated with the operation of the wrong control at the wrong time.
Identify & Operate
Pilots are encouraged to develop the personal discipline of identifying the
particular control before it is operated. This identification should include;
a) the verbal nomination of the control (Airbrake, Undercarriage, Flap,
Release etc) – and there is nothing wrong with talking aloud to
Yourself.
b) Physically touching the control lever etc.
c) Visually confirming you have the right control.
d) Operating that control.
The advantages of this method include,
- Some conscious effort is made to operate the right control,
not just operating a control.
- The control lever is physically touched, with visual
confirmation that it is the right control.
Caught Out
In a high workload situation, once things go wrong, there is a high likelihood
that things will stay wrong unless the pilot consciously attempts to rectify the
situation. This requires a conscious effort.
This can be achieved by repeating (or now conducting) the Identify and
Operate sequence described above – nominate the control which is required
to be operated, touch that control lever, visually confirm it is the right lever and
operate it.
The chance are, if this sequence was carried initially, the wrong control will
not have been operated - and the situation will not get out-of-hand.
John Hudson
John Hudson
AIRCRAFT FAMILIARITY
Incorrect / inadvertent operation of aircraft's controls may
result in a serious accident or incident if carried out during
a critical stage of flight.
Critical Stage of Flight
May be any of the following,
- during takeoff run.
- during initial or early stages of a launch, whether by
winch or aerotow.
- during any low level flight, intended or unintended,
at high or low airspeed. (safe speed near the
ground)
- during an approach and landing.
- during the landing run.
- during any flight or flight sequence where the pilot's
workload is increased due to,
- the flight sequence being flown,
ie Immediately after a cable break.
During "formation flying".
- During landing while other gliders on-theflight strip or in a congested circuit.
Ergonomics
Significant focus on cockpit layout and control systems.
To a) improve pilot comfort
b) reduce the potential (and the risk) of pilots operating
the wrong control/s.
Pilots will be familiar with,
- As far as is reasonably practicable, keeping
cockpit layout similar.
- Engineering controls so that they operate in
the same sense.
- Colour coding of controls.
- Shaping of control levers.
Controls include – Release knob, Airbrake Lever, Wheel
Undercarriage lever, Brake lever, Flap lever, Water Ballast
dump control, Canopy locks, Canopy Jettison lever/s and
Trim levers.
There remains scope for considerable improvement.
Ergonomics may go some way to minimizing these risks. Nothing will reduce the risk more than the pilot thinking
and making a conscious action to ensure the right control
is being operated at the right time.
Familiarity
Most sensitive time is during conversion training on new
type.
Increased risk prevails until the pilot builds experience.
Important for pilot to spend time in the cockpit, becoming
familiar with the controls, layout, operation, speeds and
limitations – before flying the glider. This familiarity should
not be developed "in flight".
No time for familiarization during the heightened workload
associated with operation of wrong control at wrong time.
Identify & Operate
Pilots encouraged to develop personal discipline of
identifying the particular control before it is operated.
This process should include;
a) the verbal nomination of the control (Airbrake,
Undercarriage, Flap, Release etc)
– and there is nothing wrong with talking aloud to
yourself.
b) Physically touching that control lever etc.
c) Visually confirming you have the right control lever.
d) Operating that control.
The advantages include,
- Conscious effort is made to operate the right
control, not just operating a control.
- The control lever is physically touched, with
visual confirmation that it is the right control,
before it is operated.
Caught Out
In high workload situations, once things go wrong, there
is a high likelihood that things will stay wrong.
Pilot needs to consciously attempt to rectify the situation.
This can be achieved by repeating (or now conducting)
the Identify and Operate sequence as described above –
nominate the control which is required to be operated,
touch that control lever, visually confirm it is the right lever
and operate it.
The chance are, if this sequence was carried initially, the
wrong control will not have been be operated - and the
situation will not get out-of-hand.
John Hudson
THE GLIDING FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA
Operational Safety Bulletin 1/06 – Aircraft Familiarity
Background
A number of recent accidents have highlighted the likelihood that inadvertent and/or
incorrect control input at critical stages may have been contributing factors in some
accidents.
It is believed that on some occasions incorrect and/or inadvertent use of controls is
brought about by pilot unfamiliarity with aircraft type during high workload flight
situations and this Bulletin is issued to remind pilots of the hazard and to assist them
to avoid future occurrences.
Cockpit Layout and Control Movements
Although gliders have become more similar in these aspects over time differences
remain, some more subtle than others.
Undercarriage retraction/extension systems
Perhaps the most common system is a lever on the right side cockpit wall that is
moved forward to lower the wheel and back to raise it (or do I think this because I
own a Standard Cirrus?). However, some gliders have right side mounted levers that
are forward for wheel up and back for wheel down and others that are left side
mounted and forward for up and back for down.
If you find the above confusing just reading it, is it any wonder that many pilots have
landed wheel-up after cycling the undercarriage a number of times during circuit
when flying a glider that has a different system to the glider they normally fly?
Wheel Brakes
Perhaps the most common system is a “Bike” brake lever mounted on the control
column (or do I think so because that is where it is on my Cirrus?). However, there
are a number of other arrangements including wheel brake activation via the end
travel of the air brake lever, heel brakes, floor mounted levers and etc.
An overrun situation in a tight paddock following an outlanding is not the time to try
to remember where the wheel brake is! Nor is it of any use to be squeezing the control
column with all your might trying stop when the wheel brake lever is located
somewhere else.
Airbrakes and Flaps
Airbrake and flap levers are generally located on the left side cockpit wall. There have
been many instances of pilots misidentifying these in high workload situations, such
as when landing. The most common fault being that pilots think they are deploying
airbrakes when in fact they are using the flap lever. Although not entirely a problem
to do with familiarity with glider type it can happen much more readily if the pilot is
not familiar with the glider he/she is flying.
However, there are other very important considerations that need to be taken into
account with the use of flaps in particular. The application and use of flaps varies
considerably from glider to glider, the correct use of flaps during the landing phase
can make the difference between a safe and an unsafe landing.
Precautions that can be taken
Unfamiliarity with type is most likely to cause serious problems during high workload
situations, most commonly during the landing phase. Confusion and uncertainty can
be deadly ingredients to add to a high workload!
Conversions to type
Conversions should always be thorough and comprehensive. Pilots being converted to
a new glider type must make sure that they know and fully understand the function
and location of all the controls and systems.
Becoming familiar with the glider
Time is of greatest importance and pilots should be aware that “new” gliders take time
to get to know. Sometimes differences can be minor and familiarity comes easily,
such as when converting into another Standard Class glider of a similar era and
performance to the one a pilot is used to flying. However, conversion into an Open
Class glider for the first time from Standard Class will require much longer for the
pilot to become familiar with all the necessary variations to his/her normal flying
habits.
It must also be appreciated that flying a glider of lesser performance and/or less
complexity than the pilot is normally used to is not necessarily an easier task. The
same unfamiliarity factors can set the same traps and having less performance
available can put pilots into unexpected and unfamiliar situations
Pilots are all individuals and only the pilot will know when a new glider feels
comfortably to them. Pilots should take as much care as possible to avoid high
workload situations until they feel that a safe level of familiarity has been achieved.
There is a natural desire in us all to get our “new” glider out there and see what it can
do. Unfortunately, what they can sometimes do is bite us because we are not yet fully
ready for them.
Kevin Olerhead
Chief Technical Officer - Operations
10/03/2006
---------------------------------------------------------------------The Gliding Federation of Australia Inc
invites you to visit the web site www.gfa.org.au
newcomers to gliding and soaring are invited to visit www.soaring.com.au
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